Imo State: Govt Embarks On Re-Certification of Land Titles

Owerri — To meet public expectations on Land Use Administration and Management in the state, in line with the New Face of Imo philosophy, Imo State government has procured a fully computerised facility under the Imo Geographical Information Service (IGIS), to re-certify land titles.

Disclosing this to newsmen, Commissioner for Lands, Survey and Urban Planning, Hon. Levi Oguike, said the IGIS would offer electronic processing and storage of all state land records into a digital database and electronic lands and deeds registry, with a non refundable processing fee of N20,000.

Oguike said in the case of Ekwema Layout, applicants for Certificate of Occupancy (C of O) would be required to pay N2.5 million capital contribution for infrastructural development and another N92,000 for statutory fees, while N750 would be paid per square metre. He said the capital contribution would be applicable only to undeveloped layouts in Owerri, Okigwe, Orlu, Oguta among others.

"Government has, therefore, come to the unavoidable decision to issue new title documents with appropriate security features, which in some cases, would include biometrics, to all government property title holders such as Certificates of Occupancy, Deeds of Assignments and all other legal land titles registered in the lands and deeds registry of the state, beginning from January 4, 2010," he said.

Oguike reminded those who cornered government lands to be ready to pay, adding that "if you hold 10 land titles, you are going to pay for each of them in respect to capital development. If you don't have money to pay for them, then you can off-load some of them and pay for the ones you can afford."


The Information Management World Magazine (IM World) powered by RIMA Foundation has released its March/April 2009 Edition. The Nigeria Geospatial Network published the first-ever Geoinformation Article in the IM World Magazine. Mr Surakatu Adebayo, Chairman NGN,NGGIS published an article " The Future of Geoinformation" in the Geospatial column of the Information Management World Magazine. Article is available here or visit www.rimaw.org

The Nigeria Geospatial Network Partners with RIMA Foundation in escalating Information Management Awareness in Nigeria. Mr A. Oyedokun, President of the RIMA Foundation supported the need for awareness of Geospatial Development and Information Technological Contents in Nigeria.The Coporate Partnership effected from the 1st of March 2009 is aimed at supporting both coporate bodies at all levels of predefined agreement. In addition to that, the RIMA Foundation offered the NGN a new Geospatial Column in The Information Management World Magazine.

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Spatial data infrastructures model for developing countries: A case study of Nigeria
This research explores the basics of SDI, and investigates the National SDI of different countries. Further, the research analyses SDI implementation in developing country with specific reference to the National Geospatial Data Infrastructure (NGDI) of Nigeria. The research assesses the status and the milestones of NGDI implementation using key SDI components as assessment variables. These components were grouped into four classes: Policy and Legal Issues, Technical, Funding and People. A questionnaire survey via email was conducted on the stakeholders and users of geoinformation in Nigeria. From the analysis, the NGDI has an advantage of having a national policy backing its implementation and the establishment of the coordinating body. However, the lack of SDI directive and funding are major hurdles in the implementation of the NGDI making it lack behind most of the selected case study countries in other key components. Nigeria is also found to be applying a Mixed Model of NSDI implementation as both product model and process model are evident in the NGDI. In the real sense of access network and data sharing, NGDI is yet to be operational, though the project is going on.

[Source: Serryn Eagleson, SDI-AP Editor, University of Melbourne, Australia]

ISEGI - MA Dissertation Geospatial Technologies (Erasmus-Mundus) (March 2009)
Onah, Chinonye Cletus. Article here

Lagos State GIS Progress
The increasing awareness in Lagos of the use of geographic information for planning and decision making led to the 'Lagos State Digital Mapping and GIS Project.' The project was proposed by the Office of the Surveyor-General and later placed in the hands of a Technical Committee set up by His Excellency, Mr Babatunde Raji Fashola (SAN) and Chaired by the Honourable Commissioner for Science and Technology, Dr Kadri Obafemi Hamzat. The project is divided into seven modules:
- Acquisition of Digital Aerial Imageries and Establishment of Geodetic Control;
- Establishment of Geoid and Active Global Positioning System (GPS) and Reference Station with (Continuous Operating Reference Station (CORS);
- Digital Mapping, Digital Terrain Model (DTM) and Orthophoto Map;
- Enterprise GIS;
- Bathymetry;
- Provision of ICT Infrastructure, Education and Training; and
- Public Enlightenment and Stakeholders meetings.

The mapping products that will be delivered under this Project will be at the scale of 1:500 for metropolitan Lagos and 1:1,000 for rural areas. The other products include: Orthophoto (1:2,000), contour lines (1:500 – urban and 1:1,000 in the rural area), Digital Elevation Model and Digital Terrain Model.

Currently, the project is in various stages of completion viz:
MODULE 1
Acquisition of imageries is 100% completed while the image processing of the Aerial Photo is on-going. However the lidar data acquisition is presently on-going.
MODULE 2
The Continuous Operating Reference Station been constructed is almost completed.
MODULE 3
Once the Digital Aerial imageries (module 1) is completed the end result will bring to the completion of the Digital Mapping, Digital Terrain Model and Orthophoto Map (module 3)
MODULE 4
The enterprise GIS is on-going
MODULE 5
Bathymetry which is the data acquisition of all the Lagos Lagoon and creek has been completed while the processing of the data is presently on-going.
MODULE 6
The provision of ICT infrastructures such as the ICT Laboratory, V- SAT is ready and been currently utilized by the end –users while the education of the participants in the projects drawn from MDA’s is a continuous exercise and is on-going.
MODULE 7
Awareness and public enlightenment campaign is going on to sensitise the general public and stakeholders in the industry about the numerous benefits the project would bring to the development of various sectors of the economy such as Land and water, Resources ,Transport Population Census, Education, Health, Security, Budget and Planning, Tourism, Agriculture, Mineral Resources, Environment, Local Government, Sport, Infrastructure.

In order to achieve the above, two stakeholder’s Conferences has been held to further deliberate on the extent of work done, the way forward for the Lagos State Digital Mapping and Geographic Information System. More stakeholders meetings and Conferences shall be organised as the need arises to further sensitise the general public and stakeholders in the industry.

The Lagos State Government in order to promote greater awareness and public access to standard and coordinated geospatial data production, management and dissemination by all sectored institutions, ministries, departments, agencies and the privates sector is establishing a Geospatial Data Service Centre (GDSC).
The Lagos Enterprise GIS database will be backed by a policy to eliminate problems experienced by Geo-information producers and users in the State today. A Technical Committee has put in place modalities to produce the State Geo-Information policy. The GDSC is domiciled in the Office of the Surveyour–General.

National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) sets up GIS. In an effort to make efficient its work in managing disaster across the country, the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) has established a functional Geographic Information System (GIS) lab for Early Warning for disaster responses. The Director General of the Agency, AVM Muhammad Audu-Bida, said at the first 2009 Ministerial Press Briefing in collaboration with Federal Ministry of Information and Communications, the lab is one of the significant facilities of the agency for its disaster risk reduction programme; it collects spatial data on disasters, analyses and prepares useful information that can help in aid responses to disaster. The DG said that disaster management in Nigeria mainly focuses on humanitarian relief supplies, with huge funds expended anually. Among other things the agency adopted for coordinating disaster management, according to him included Mission Control Centre (MCC), which is a computer based satellite technology that uses what he called the "COSPAS-SARSAT hi-tech system". This system, he said is designed to pick distress alerts and location data to assist in Search and Rescue Operation (SRO), by using satellite and ground facilities to detect and locate the signals of distress beacons operating on 406MHz.

The Nigeria Conservation Foundation has included the use of GIS as a tool for its school visits to the Lekki Conservation Center.ArcView 3.3 was used to visualize the National Bounbary, State Boundaries, National Parks and Strict Nature reserves in Nigeria.This promotes environmental education process by showing students the location of the National Parks, Ramsar Sites, Strict Nature Reserves and the vegetation types in each Reserves. The process also includes the use of Multimedia GIS through the hotlinking fuction to attach Animal Pictures,Vegetation Scenes perculiar to each National Park. The result of these was seen as the GIS Tool was able to answer location based question posed by the Students who were keened as knowing the location of some national Parks, What animals do we have where, the name of the protected areas, etc.

Nigeria Petroleum GIS Database Proxy Logics has developed the Nigeria Petroleum GIS and database. This is the first and most detailed Petroleum GIS existing for Nigeria. The Petroleum GIS consists of well attributed layers as: Concession Map Operator Pipelines (Using standard Pipeline Data Module) Oil Wells Conflict zone Producing Communities Oil Spill Sites Oil and Gas Facilities Report Generation

Lagos and Ogun get GIS
The Lagos State Government has launched its N2.6 billion Digital Mapping and Geographic Information System (GIS) project. According to the state Governor, Babatunde Fashola, it is meant to provide "comprehensive spatial information using the latest and best available mapping technology for the state." Fashola added that the project would also help in fostering consensus on key issues and actions, "which would lead to the development of innovative and proactive public policies." Also in Ogun State, Governor Gbenga Daniel, yesterday in Abeokuta commissioned the state's digital GIS, which aims to end the outdated and tedious analogue system of land administration in the state.

Nigeria’s First Home-Made GIS SOFTWARE – ProxyCAD 1.1 RELEASED Proxy Logics Nigeria has announced the release of Nigeria's first GIS software application – ProxyCAD 1.1 and a new range of technical services for the Automated Mapping/Facility Management and Geographic Information System community in Nigeria. ProxyCAD imports CAD data formats in ArcGIS Geodatabase seamlessly. The strong point of ProxyCAD is its well developed CAD annotation to Point feature conversion tool, and the ability to merge the point attribute to the containing polygon or polyline as defined by user. ProxyCAD 1.1 is an ArcGIS extension in ArcCatalogue

GIS For Environmental Management in Nigeria
Proxy Logics Nigeria has developed solutions for Environmental Management and Planning using advanced geospatial applications and processes. Our solutions service Nigeria Government Agencies, Oil and Gas industries and the entire private sector. Our Environmental Solutions include Environmental Analysis and Modeliing, Oil Spill Modelling, Biodiversity Information System, Forestry Management Systems, Change detection and Environmental Management Information Systems. http://www.proxylogics.com/solutions.html.

FCT- Abuja GIS introduces One Stop Land Processing Portal FEDERAL CAPITAL TERRITORY ADMINISTRATION Nigeria - ABUJA GEOGRAPHIC INFORMATION SYSTEMS (GIS), Introduces A ONE-STOP LAND PROCESSING PORTAL ONE-STOP LAND PROCESSING PORTAL. The Portal includes services for Applications, Registrations, Payments, Receipt and Statement, Other Land and Property Services. Available From all AGIS Designated Banks or Call 08063091778, 08024239252, 09-4816070-2 or visit www.fctonlinepayment.com

Nigeria NGDI Committee Meeting and RFP for NGDI portal The long overdue meeting of the National Geospatial data Infrastructure (NGDI) Committee was effected on 13-14 may 2008. The meeting was aimed to provide a forum to discuss progress made thus far and arrange for follow-up on the Committee’s decisions from its last meeting. The National Space Research & Development Agency (NASRDA) seeks to finalize the (inconclusive) user requirements survey/analysis carried out by GML Ltd. Furthermore, NASRDA invites proposals for the design, development, testing and commissioning of NGDI Portal. The portal will comprise the hardware, software and processes necessary to house, manage, produce, share, distribute and utilize Geospatial products and Services. The NGDI portal will include a metadata catalog describing the holdings within NGDI, it will include the storage capabilities to house significant quantities of Geoinformation; it will include mechanisms to enable timely access and sharing of the holdings, and it will include tools to enable analysts and other end users to use the NGDI holdings to address elements of a 7-Point Agenda. The delivered NGDI must incorporate best practice GIS and imagery processing capabilities as used by other countries. NGDI will be implemented as a phased development.

Niger State to Acquire GIS Soon
Minna — The Niger state government has concluded plans to establish a Minna Geographic Information System (MGIS). According to the Commissioner for Lands and Housing, Mrs Salome Ndakotsu, it is in line with modern day trends of land use and allocation. She explained that the establishment of the MGIS is going to help guide the proposed Minna mega city project which the state government is about to embark on.